Joystiq

World of MapCraft: explore Azeroth using a Google Maps-style interface

David Hinkle — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 15:30:00 EST

World of MapCraft is an interactive map detailing all of the areas that make up World of Warcraft's Azeroth - think of it as Google Maps for World of Warcraft and its expansions thus far. It's all online right now, the work of Tiny Speck founder Cal Henderson, who extracted textures from the MMO's source files to piece together the interactive map you see above. You may recall Tiny Speck's own MMO, Glitch.

Just don't click on the map above and expect to be able to zoom in on the Isle of Conquest. You have to click the source link below for that. And if you're looking for more background on World of MapCraft's creation, Henderson has a pretty thorough blog post explaining it all.

World of MapCraft: explore Azeroth using a Google Maps-style interface originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Jun 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Robin Hunicke leaves thatgamecompany for Tiny Speck

Jordan Mallory — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:30:00 EST

Robin Hunicke, thatgamecompany's "Producer Extraordinaire" since 2009, has left the Journey developer to join Tiny Speck, the Canadian studio responsible for Glitch. Hunicke will be "providing leadership in game design" for Tiny Speck and Glitch specifically from Tiny Speck's San Francisco offices, according to an announcement at the Glitch Blog.

"When they told me they had an office in San Francisco, where folks were joining up to imagine new fun for Glitch... well, I must admit I swooned," Hunicke said in an update on her personal blog.

Hunicke's departure from thatgamecompany comes hot on the heels of Kellee Santiago's similar announcement earlier this morning. It was also heralded by an anonymous source speaking to Gamasutra, who warned of further "key staff departures" following in Santiago's footsteps.

Robin Hunicke leaves thatgamecompany for Tiny Speck originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tiny Speck's 'Glitch' MMO launches today [update]

JC Fletcher — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EST

Update: if you're having trouble getting in (it's open to all, but there might be a wait), Tiny Speck has set up a "fast pass" site for Joystiq readers here.

Glitch, the cute browser MMO set inside the minds of giant monsters, is officially opening up to the public today at 10AM PDT after a long beta period. The game is the work of Tiny Speck, a new company formed by Stewart Butterfield, Cal Henderson, Eric Costello, and Serguei Mourachov, four co-founders of Flickr. It's a free-to-play game with subscription and virtual currency options, both used for avatar customization items.

Speaking to me in a phone interview yesterday, Butterfield claimed that the game is playable in a casual style, but also accommodates players interested in a more intense experience. "We wanted to have enough depth to capture the imaginations of people who want to go deep," he said. "There are 1000-plus items and 90 skills."

Glitch has potential for emergent gameplay, which he compared to Eve Online, though he was quick to note that it's not as combat-oriented as Eve and more fun to actually play. For example, he related an anecdote from the beta, about players creatively using a "notes" system. "Early on, some of the richer players started a bank, with an alternative currency that was based on notes," Butterfield said. "They just guaranteed the notes with their supply of in-game currency based on the timestamp and the person who created it."

Continue reading Tiny Speck's 'Glitch' MMO launches today [update]

Tiny Speck's 'Glitch' MMO launches today [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Keita Takahashi joins Tiny Speck, working on 'Glitch' MMO

JC Fletcher — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 17:25:00 EST

Keita Takahashi has stretched the Boy in his iPhone Noby Noby Boy app all the way from Tokyo to Vancouver, as developer Tiny Speck announces that the Katamari Damacy creator has moved there to join the team working on Glitch. What's that feeling? Yes, many of you are now contemplating playing an MMO for the first time.

Glitch, in case you don't remember, is the cute side-scrolling MMO about occupying the imaginations of eleven giants with multifarious googly eyes, created by a team put together by Flickr co-founder Stewart Butterfield. "A few months ago we were lucky enough to start talking to [Takahashi]," Butterfield said on the game's blog. "We played some Glitch together, batted ideas back and forth and found that we shared the same values - deep beliefs in curiosity, humor, absurdity, and above all a belief in the positive power of play." As a result of this summit, Takahashi joined Tiny Speck in an unspecified capacity.

In addition to this new role, Takahashi's company Uvula appears to still be active, mostly in creating artwork for other media. Glitch is currently in beta, and expected to launch this summer.

Continue reading Keita Takahashi joins Tiny Speck, working on 'Glitch' MMO

Keita Takahashi joins Tiny Speck, working on 'Glitch' MMO originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 08 Jul 2011 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Flickr founder's MMO takes place inside giants' imaginations

JC Fletcher — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 19:00:00 EST

Early this year, Flickr cofounder Stewart Butterfield unveiled a new company called Tiny Speck, and teased its first project, a side-scrolling MMO called Glitch. Originally announced for late 2010, it's now due in early 2011. The Glitch site has relaunched with new information and a new trailer, which you can see after the break. The game is being made with the backing of investors including executives at LinkedIn, Groupon, and Google

"For a really long time," the song in the trailer explains, "eleven giants walked around. They thought of funny things, until their thinking came alive. And that's what this game is: you're inside their thoughts. Go and make them bigger, and we'll play for a long while." Said "giants" are a group of grotesque, many-eyed creatures, and "making their thoughts bigger" seems to entail increasing skills in several categories by interacting with animals and objects found throughout the world.

As they explore the world, players will have to fight off attacks from "the Rook," a group of evil birds who "can appear and attack plants, animals or players in the world," Butterfield told VentureBeat. "It can warp them, and players have to do some work to heal the injured animals and plants around the world."

Continue reading Flickr founder's MMO takes place inside giants' imaginations

Flickr founder's MMO takes place inside giants' imaginations originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 23 Nov 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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